DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION TO SET UP 12 EXCLUSIVE BOOTHS FOR WOMEN AND PWD VOTERS, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER TAKES STOCK OF ELECTION PREPAREDNESS IN THE DISTRICT

Ferozepur, April 16, 2019. A total of 12 polling stations will be set up for women and person with disabilities (PWD) voters in the district for ensuing Lok Sabha polls on May 19, said Deputy Commissioner cum District Election Officer (DEO) Mr. Chander Gaind in a review meeting on Tuesday, held at district administrative complex Ferozepur. Presiding over the meeting along with the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mr. Sandeep Goyal, the deputy commissioner reiterated administration's commitment to facilitate PWD voters with dedicated polling station in each legislative constituency, pick and drop facility, volunteers’’ assistanance at polling stations, and arrangement of wheelchairs and so on. He said that there are total 1857 PWD voters in the four legislative constituencies of the district, which includes 114 PWD voters in Zira constituency, 297 in Ferozepur urban, 557 in Ferozepur Rural and 889 in Guru Harsahai constituency. He said that the district administration will leave no stock unturned to faciliate. Working upon this task, the district administration has marked each PWD voter and arrangements are under process to assist them with pick and drop facility with the help of Non-Government Organizations and educational institutions”, he told and added that in the same way, 8 polling stations will be set up exclusively for women, comprising two polling stations at each constituency i.e. govt. elementary school Kothe Gardiwala, govt. elementary school Nawan Zira, govt. elementary school Amar Takiz, H.M. Dav model school, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Engineering College Ferozepur (Right and Left side), Govt. elementary school Marhe kalan and Govt. elementary school Marhe Khurd. He directed the officials to make elobrate arrangements of drinking water, toilets, first aid medical kits, deployment of volunteers to assist senior citizens, sheds and chairs at polling stations so that voters can be facilitated in the best possible way. He asked officials to be careful with their election duty as any kind of callousness in the poll duty will be dealt with strictness. He said that so far 5217 no. 6 forms (application for new voter's registration) have been accepted by the election staff. There are 879 polling stations in the district, where 5179 staff members will carry out poll procedure and 1057 VVPAT EVM machines along with ballot and control units will be utilized, he added. He said that there are 36 various teams consisting of 180 members are working round the clock to monitor any kind of violation of the modal code of conduct and such cases with be dealt with an iron hand. Briefing security arrangements the SSP Mr. Sandeep Goyal said that foolproof security plan has been drawn to have the election process completed peacefully in the districts. There are special checking is being carried out round the clock with the coordination of police personals of other districts, he said. He further said that there are total 22430 licensed weapons in the district and out of which 95.71 percent weapons have been deposited, adding he said, total 120 vulnerable polling stations have been identified in the district and foolproof security arrangements will be made to cover each vulnerable booth. He said that no one would be allowed to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the district as police parties are working 24X7 to monitor the activities of unruly persons belonging to the district.